Signs
by The Next Author
Summary: First thing we see is a five hundred foot wide crop circle. Next, the news shows many of them all over the world. Extra-terrestrials that aren't the Kraang? If they mess with my family, invasion will be the last thing on their minds.
1. Prologue

This story is based off the movie _Sign_ s by M. Night Shyamalan. I do not own TMNT. Enjoy.

Signs

 _Miracles are not random acts. All we have to do is see them._

Prologue

Raph

April's farmhouse…

My bed dips as I sit up in it. It's quiet. My brothers must not be up yet. I quietly slip out of bed. Since nobody is up I might as well be the first to the bathroom. I pass Leo, and Aprils bed rooms. Leo's is shut tight. April's is wide open. The sun is hidden from her room. It overlooks the cornfield in the back. Looks like she got up early.

Mikey and Donnie share a room. Leo and I would have shared a room, too, but the last time we did that we got into a fight. Their room is next to the bathroom and shut tight, too.

In the bathroom, I get to brush my teeth. I'm only half a minute into it when I hear a scream. It sounds like April. A thump from downstairs tells me one of my brothers is downstairs and they heard the scream, too. I throw my toothbrush down, and rinse my mouth with a plastic cup as I run downstairs.

Donnie is on his feet, running to the door. He must have fallen asleep on the couch. We run out and look around for our friend. There's a slam and we turn to see our big brother, Leo, speed walking toward us.

"What you do? Fall asleep in the van?" I ask.

"Something like that," Leo answers, stretching his neck.

"Where is she?" Don asks. Leo shrugs.

Then Mikey's voice yells out, "Raph! Leo! Don!"

We give each other a sideways look then run to the back of the house and into the growing field of green.

Cornstalks whip across our faces, arms and legs as we sprint. We eventually reach a dirt road in the stalks. We look left then right for our baby brother and April.

On our left emerges April. We jog to her. Donnie slides to her side, saying, "April, you okay?"

She swallows hard,"Yeah…yeah, I'm fine."

"You sure," Don says.

"April, where's Mikey?" Leo asks.

"Raphie, Leo!" Mikey calls from the stocks. We leave Donnie with April and find our baby brother standing still looking at something. I grab his shoulder.

"Mikey," I growl, "What are you doing out here?"

"There was a noise. It woke us up." Mikey says. Leo takes off down the field, looking for what Mikey is looking at.

"That doesn't answer why you're out here." I say.

Mikey doesn't look at me. He slowly replies, "I think aliens did it."

"Did what?"

"Raph," Leo calls to me, breath heavy, "You got to see this."

I let Mikey go. I look at his serious face (I'm not kidding. It's serious.). Then I slowly walk to where Leo's voice emanated.

"Leo, "I call, catching sight of his blue bandana. This guy can blend in with corn like a chameleon. "Leo, what is-"

I stop. Don appears by my side, April and Mike behind him. Slowly I step into the field with Leo. Corn is flattened but not broke. They snap under our feet as we look over the scene.

A giant circle of bent over corn, perfectly make. And all we can do is stand there and stare at it.

And a little later, we find four more.


	2. Chapter 1: Jesabelle

1: Leo and Donnie

Jesabelle…

I wait by the screen door while April talks on the phone in the kitchen. I can hear the barbecue going in the back. Raph's cooking chicken. Mikey and Donnie are with him. We were all spooked by the crop circles. I told Raph repeatedly that we can't just go into town and terrorize people till we find who's responsible.

My thoughts are broken by April saying, "Well, thanks, Berry. I'll call if anything else comes up. Bye."

Her T-phone shuts and she sighs.

"Who's Berry?" I ask, not taking my eyes off the window.

"An old friend from the police station. He lives in the small town a few miles from here. I'm surprised he's still working there after all these years."

I nod. A dirty brown van drives up and parks next to the Shellraiser. Mr. Green pops out and walks up to the door. I open the door, welcoming him in. A brown German Shepard follows him.

"Hey, Mr. Green," April says, "thank you for coming."

Mr. Green is the owner of the store a mile down the road. Other than April, he is the only one who knows of my brothers and my existence.

"So, I hear you have some teenagers or someone maken' crop circles in your back yard."

"Yes," I say, "We're all curious. But I'm surprised you got here so soon."

"It was a slow day." Mr. Green shrugs.

April leads him through the house to the backyard. The dog was already back here sitting in front of Mikey who is staring at a glass of water. Don's over by the edge of the house, swinging his Bo staff like a baseball bat. Recently, he's taken an interest in baseball.

Raph seems to have disappeared. Probably to get more briquettes.

"Leo, you coming," April calls to me. Mr. Green and April are already to the start of the corn stocks. I look around one more time for Raph, then jog after the two humans.

Donnie

"Raph's going to burn these again." I growl, flipping the pieces of chicken with a pair of tongs. In my other hand I slowly twirl my Bo staff. I'm itching to swing it again. I want to get a good swing going.

When I finish flipping the chicken, I turn to my baby brother. He is taking a sip of water from the glass cup with yellow flowers circling it. Most of April's silverware has flowers on it.

I go over and sit by him, watching Mr. Greens dog. Jesabelle, the tag reads. Mikey makes a chocking noise.

"It's contaminated." He says.

"You don't even know what that means, "I say. I grab the water from him and take a sip. "It tastes fine."  
"No, it doesn't," Mike argues. Mikey has started having an issue with his water ever since we came out here Sunday. Since Sensei was out of town for the next two weeks, April invited us to her farmhouse. Sensei left Sunday morning. We left that night. Sensei's getting back next Saturday. We'll go home Friday.

Today is Thursday.

"Just give it to the dog," I say, handing him the cup, "I'm sure it won't mind."

Mikey stares at the water then leans forward to put the water in front of the dog. Jesabelle jerks up, growling at the glass. Mikey jumps back, scared.

"Jesabelle?" I say. Mikey stands ready to run but stop him," Mike, don't run." Then to the dog," Stop it, Jesabelle."

The dog slowly stands up. It's looking at Mikey, growl low, teeth bared. I watch her, gripping my Bo staff tighter.

Leo

"Look at how their bent," Mr. Green says. The three of us are crouched over the corn stalks, feeling them.

"It can't be by hand," I say," It's too perfect."

"Mr. Green, what kind of machine could bend a stalk of corn and not break it?" April asks.

Our friend shakes his head, glasses on his nose shaking. "I can't tell. I don't know. But… this guy came in the other day… he said something…"

April and I exchange glances as he continues, "Some of the animals around here have been acting funny."

"Are they sick?" April asks.

"I don't think so, Miss O'Neil. Their acting like there's a predator around. You folks got any pets?"

I swallow hard, "Only Spike. Raph's turtle."  
Mr. Green turns his gaze on me, "Then watch that turtle."

"Leo," April says. I look at her. She stands looking back the way me came. "Listen."

All is quiet except the caw of crows. Then I hear it. The scream.

"Mikey," I whisper.

Donnie

I can't feel anything. I am numb.

Jesabelle lies dead in front of me. My Bo staff blade protrudes from her neck. Mikey is clinging to the tree above me. His forearm is bleeding from the dog biting him and refusing to let go.

Behind me I hear the cornstalks rustle. Feet pound and run to me.

I take a deep breath and look up at my big brother, my crush and Mr. Green. The store clerk looks like he's about to cry. April covers her mouth with her hands and Leo's mouth hangs open.

"She…" I try to get out, "She tried to kill Mikey."

Leo looks over at Mikey then to Mr. Green. "I'm so sorry, sir." He says.

I stand. April guides me by the shoulders back to the house.

Leo

After I help Mr. Green get back to the van without dropping the dog, I go back to Mikey. He's still clinging to the tree, staring at Donnie's staff.

"Hey, man," I say, "Come here. We need to get that arm bandaged up."

My baby brother drops down from the tree, landing on his butt. I help him up with a small tug. Mike now clings to my arm, griping it tightly. I jerk my arms lose and put a comforting arm around my scared brother. We walk back to the house, going a steady pace.

As we get to the porch stairs, Raph comes out, bags in hand, a look of pure confusion on his face.

"Where were you?" I ask sternly.

"What happened?" he says in turn, staring alarmingly at Mike's arm.

Without breaking a stride, I say," Check on Spike, Raphael. We don't need him trying to bite any of our fingers off."


	3. Chapter 2: Monsters

Chapter 2: Raph

Monster…

A/N: I am so glad you are enjoying this story. It is fun to write and glad I am doing so.

I've been having trouble sleeping lately. Its either nightmares or I can't find the right place to lie. Tonight was I couldn't get comfortable.

After ten minutes of lying on my left side, I turn over. In the moonlight stands Mikey. Shadows lay over him like a blanket. He's staring at me. I didn't even see or hear him come in.

Not creepy at all.

"What?" I growl.

Mike's eyes gleam in the darkness. "There's something outside our window and Leo's downstairs. Can I have some water?"

"You couldn't just get Donnie?"

Mikey shakes his head. I groan. Dang it, Leo. Why can't you sleep upstairs once in a while?

After I get Mikey a cup of water, I sit in his and Donnie's room till he lies down. He stares at the ceiling, pondering-like.

"What are ya' thinkin' about?" I ask.

Mikey looks up at me, "Sensei. You think he's having a good time in Japan?"

I shrug," Probably. He's probably happy to be home again."

"Think he'll want us to move there?"

I pause. I wouldn't want to move, and Mikey wouldn't want to leave Leatherhead. Donnie wouldn't want to leave April. Leo would say let's move but secretly, I think he'd want to stay. New York is where we grew up. It's where we got the best memories. We can't just leave!

I answer Mikey's question defiantly, "He can't make us."

Mikey smiles at my words. I smile back.

Then I look out his window.

A dark tall person stands on the roof.

I pop off Mikey's bed in a hurry. "Mike, you said Leo was downstairs?"

"Yeah," Mike says concern in his voice, "What' wrong?"

"Nothing." I answer, starting to leave, "Stay here. And listen to me this time!"

I run downstairs as quickly as I can. Leo lays asleep on the couch, remote in hand. The TV glows off his face. He is half sitting up, half lying down. He looks so peaceful.

I smack him in the face with his _Space Hero's_ comic.

Leo almost falls off the couch in surprise, "What!? What?!"

"Those teenagers are back," I whisper.

Leo gets it and hops to his feet. We run to the door to grab our weapons. April got us jackets so we put those on, too.

"It's time for a shell of a beating." I growl.

"Easy, Raph," Leo says, "We don't want to hurt them."

"Says you! If we are not going to hurt'em than what are we going to do?"

"We're going to scare them. Your looks should be enough to give them a heart attack."

"Hey," I snap offended. "You aren't so pretty yourself, Fearless."

Leo snorts, holding back a laugh, "Leave prettiness to the other ladies. On the count of three. One…two…"

"THREE!" I howl. I can't tell if I'm the one who slams into the screen door first or Leo. I run to the left while Leo runs to the right. We scream as loud as we can, saying whatever pops into our heads. I keep a hand on my Sai as we run, just in case.

Leo and I meet each other at the back porch after running around the house twice. The porch light shines over us and barley reaches the corn field.

"You see anybody?" Leo asks.

I reply, "No. You?"

"No." Leo looks around behind him. I do the same.

He looks back at me," You sure you saw someone, Raph."

"Yeah." I argue, "Mikey saw him to."

 _THUMP!_

Leo and I whip toward the house. On the roof, we can barely see a person running across it.

"How did he get up there?" I whisper. Leo backs up so he can try and see the guy better. "Leo, we can't even jump all the way up there."

"Raph, shut up," Leo hisses.

We turn as Aprils swing feet away twists and swings back and forth in a jerking motion. It's as if someone had run into it.

I look at the roof. The figure is gone. I look at Leo. He's still looking at the cornfield.

Finally, he looks at me. Then we go back inside. I spend the rest of the night downstairs with Leo.


	4. Chapter 3: The Remote

Chapter 3: Leo and April

The Remote

P.O.V. April

"Like it?" I hear Mr. Green ask Donatello as I walk by.

This morning I came down stairs to see Leo talking to Mr. Green on the phone, staring at the sleeping Raphael. He told me about last night and that Mr. Green was coming.

Now that he's here, we are anxious. Mikey was sent to the front room to watch cartoons. I hear Raph lecturing him now.

"Mikey, you gotta stop this. What's wrong with this one?" I hear him pick up a glass.

"It has dust in it."

"This one?"

"A hair."

"This?"

"Leo took a sip of it and now it has his saliva in it."

Raph sighs. There's a clunk as he puts down a glass. I put the dishes that I was carrying back in the sink and head back to the table.

Donnie's messing with the walkie talkie Mr. Green gave him. The store clerk said he could keep it as long as he wants. Leo is sitting across the table, head down on his arms. He looks almost asleep. I wouldn't blame him. It sounds like he barely got any sleep last night.

I sit across from Donnie on Mr. Green's right. Raph comes in and sits next to Leo. He nudges his brother.

He says, "Hey, Leo, look alive, will ya?"

Leo groans and sits up. He's pale and has dark circles under his eyes, "Leo, did you take your pills today?"

Leo glares at him," No, Raph, I haven't. I ran out. Remember?"

Raph groans," Oh, Leo… not now."

Mr. Green looks at Donnie. Donnie sighs," Leo has to take a pill for…" Don starts counting on his fingers. "Panic attacks, concussions, high blood sugar from eating too much ice cream late at night and for his vitamins in general."

Mr. Green raises his brows, "Oh," then switches the subject, "Okay, well, all I've gotten was that it was dark outside." My two friends nod. "You couldn't see who it was?" They shake their heads. Mr. Green turns to me," Miss O'Neil is there anyone in town who would be out to get you?"

I look at Donnie. He frowns as I say, "I don't think so."

"You sure," Mr. Green asks. I nod.

"Donnie, where's the remote!?" Mikey calls from the front room.

"How should I know," Donnie yells back," Check under the couch and the couch cushions."

"So you wouldn't have an idea of who this guy is?" Raph asks. Mr. Green shakes his head. Raph groans, "Perfect."

"Is there anything you can describe this person with? Height? Big or small?"

"He could jump really high," Leo says tiredly.

"He or she," Donnie cuts in.

"How high?" Mr. Green asks.

Raph points at the ceiling. "Really high."

The store clerk whistles, impressed. "Wow. I don't know anyone who can jump that high."

That's when Mikey wanders into the kitchen. He taps on Don's shoulder, "Donnie, I can't find it."

"Did you check under the couch?" Donnie asks, irritably.

"Yeah. Not there."

"Did you check under the cushions?"

"Yeah. It's not there either."

"Then just switch it with the dials _on_ the TV."

"I tried that, too."

" _AND_!"

Mikey rocks on his feet, "The same thing is on every station."

Now that gets our attention.

P.O.V. Leo

"Mikey," I say slowly, "turn it up."

Mike leans over and turns the volume dial on the TV.

An old man appears. We all shut up and listen. "The first crop circles appeared in the late seventies, renewing interest in extra-terrestrial life. It died out by the early eighties, dismissed as hoaxes. This research is holy different. The speed and the quantity in which it has appears implies the coordination of hundreds of individuals in many countries…"

A picture of India appears and shows red dots where crop circles are. Then they show the people walking around in them.

"There are only a limited number of explanations," the announcer says. A crop circle appears and he starts talking with a hint of fear in his voice," Either this is the most elaborate hoax ever created or basically… it's for real…"

I take a deep breath as Mikey says, "Aliens."

"Extra-terrestrials," Don echoes.

"What the shell is going on?" Mr. Green says.

P.O.V. April

"Well," Mr. Green says as him and I walk to his car," I'll go back to the store, see if I can pick anything up from customers. I think you and your friends should head into town. You kids shouldn't be getting caught up in worldly crap like this. Go into town and get your minds straight. Besides…" he opens his vans door and gets in," I think your friend needs more of his pills anyway."

I nod and go back to the porch. As he drives away, I hear the TV turn up a little. The announcer says, "These images were shot yesterday afternoon by a thirty-four year old local camera man in Kerala, a southern city of India. It is the eighteenth reported crop circle found in that country in the last seventy-two hours."


	5. Chapter 4: Town

**A/N: Sorry for not updating for so long. The holidays are a riot. Anyway, enjoy this next chapter.**

Chapter 4

Leo, Mikey ,and Donnie

Town…

Leo's P.O.V.

"Leo, can we listen to the radio?" Mikey calls from his place in the shellraiser.

I open my mouth as April says, "Not today, Mikey. Maybe some other time."

I hear Mikey sigh.

Raph calls out," Why are we going into town again?"

"Because Mr. Green advised it." Answers April.

I'm pretty sure Raph rolled his eyes. He doesn't like the idea of us four stuffing ourselves into human clothes and going into public. I don't blame him. The thought that we can be discovered at any time in unnerving.

The town, Bridger, is quite small. Only a handful of people live here. There are a few stores here and there. I find a parking space on Main Street. Few people walk the streets as we get out.

"Kay, guys," I say looking at my brothers," meet back here in fifteen minutes for pizza."

They nod and go their separate ways. Mikey chases after Raph as he walks down the sidewalk one way. Don goes down another way. April takes my arm and guides me across the street.

"Come on, Leo," she smiles, "let's go get those pills of yours."

We walk the same direction Donnie did till we come to a drug store. Inside, there is white walls, floors and selves. Somebody cleans this place well.

In the back is the pharmacy. A girl in a white lab coat and jeans waits for us to reach her. Her red hair is up in a messy bun.

"Hello, miss," April says," Can we get some panic pills and something to keep his blood sugar down? Oh, and some Tylenol?" We really need to learn what the heck my pills are called.

The girl kind of looks at her, waiting for April to continue. When she doesn't, the girl sighs. "Tylenol is in the third isle. I'll get the other pills for your…friend."

Velma, as her tag says, stares at me before leaving. I don't blame her. A green skinned kid with a blue beanie and a turtle neck on at the end of summer is strange to see.

April brings back a box that the pills are in. Velma comes with a brown paper bag that holds the pills. She takes a deep breath and says,"Um… can I ask you guys something?"

April and I glance at each other," Uh…sure."

Velma looks like she's gonna cry," A couple of girls came in here saying it's the end of the world. And I need to get some things off my consciousness…"

And so we stood there for a total of thirty minutes before we could leave…

* * *

Donnie's P.O.V.

I stand staring at a picture of Jackie Robinson. On our way through town I saw a sports store. I have a little money and have decided to buy myself a real Baseball bat.

"Need anything, son?" the clerk man says. He looks to be around in his mid-fifties to early sixties.

"No, sir," I say, holding up the long wooden bat I chose," Just lingering while I have time to spare."

The man nods. He listens intently as another crop circle is announced on the radio.

"Their doing probing…"he suddenly says.

I look over at him," What?"

He looks over at me. Suddenly I know who he was. A soldier in the military. He's telling me something about the…hoaxes. I listen, half interested.

"It's a military procedure. No one's been hurt and that's the giveaway. Send out reconnaissance group, very small, check things out. Not to engage but to evaluate the situation. Evaluate the level of danger, make sure things are all clear."

"Clear for what?" I ask.

He frowns," For the rest of them."

Ice crawls up the back of my neck. _The rest of them. Calm down, Donnie. There is nothing coming._

I put on a smile and say," I think I'm ready to buy now."

* * *

Mikey's P.O.V.

"Their trying to sell soda's," the manager of this bookstore growls," I've seen twelve soda commercials so far. TWELVE!"

Raph and I stand watching the news with the bald head man and his blond wife. Their eyes are glued to the TV.

Raph tears his eyes away and says, "Do you have any books on… oh what did Donnie say…um….extra-terrestrials?"

"Don't tell me you believe in this horse manure!" The man scoffs. A low growl emanates from Raphs throat.

"Actually, I think we have one." The woman says, "Came in the mail by accident, and decided we'd keep it for the city people. Third row on the left, honey."

Raph nods and leaves me to do whatever. Lucky for him, I don't plan on doing anything.

"Can I have a glass of water?" I ask. The lady nods and leaves to get some. Raph comes back around the same time she does. He sits at a table, flipping through the book he found.

I watch him read while taking a sip of water. A metallic, icky taste spreads over my tongue. I make a face as I hold it away from me. "It's contaminated."

"Carl," The women calls," there's something wrong with our water."

"Your waters fine," Raph snaps," Mikey's developed this thing about his drinking water. It's like a tic but it's actually not a tic."

The women looks down at me, hands on her hips," Is that right?"

I give her a shy smile.

"THIRTEEN!" the man bellows out. We all turn to see a Coca-Cola commercial come on, a jingle being sung as a baby polar bear takes a sip of the drink.

I turn back around as Raph slaps the book shut and holds it out to the women," I'll take it."

* * *

Leo's P.O.V.

"What happened to fifteen minutes, Leo," Donnie jokes as April and I come into the pizzeria. A pizza with everything on it sits in the middle of the table. April scoots in by Donnie while Raph shoves Mikey over so I can sit by him.

"I'm never going to that pharmacist again," I say, rubbing my head, my breathing ragged, "my nerves are shot."

"Waitress," Raph yells out," Can I get water for my friend here?"

"Right away, sir," A girl says from behind us. April reaches over to hand me my four pills. While I wait, I look at my brothers.

"So, what you three do?"

Donnie reaches under the table and pulls out a Baseball bat. "You take a guess," he says.

"Mikey and I went to the bookstore," Raph says reaching across Michelangelo,"Here, Donnie. Got you a book."

Raph throws a book over to Donnie. Don catches it and stares. "Extra-terrestrials. Okay…" I can't tell if he's happy or being a snot.

"Here's your water, sir," A brown haired waitress says, setting my water down with a thunk. She's gone before I can thank her. Raph's stare burns into my skull as I swallow down my pills one by one.

 **A/N: Well, there's chapter 4. I will get the next chapter up as soon as I can. The Next Author's honor. :)**


	6. Chapter 5: Voices

Chapter 5

Donnie

Voices…

We drive home in silence. The radio is so full of crap that music isn't being played anymore. Everyone should know that aliens aren't real. I mean, sure the Kraang are from another dimension. That is totally different, though, isn't it?

When Leo parks the van, a loud crackle starts to sound from the Walkie Talkie. We all look at it. It lies over by Mikey's station where I left it. My little brother picks the Talkie up and stares at it. "It's getting a signal from them," he says.

I groan and slump in my seat. "Mikey, there are no aliens. This is just crap. Nerds are doing this. They do stupid crap to feel special. It's a scam. Nerds did it thirty years ago, now their doing it again. Get it?"

I raise my head again to see Leo and Raph staring at me. Raph took April's seat because he said that if Leo got dizzy, he'd have to take the wheel.

"What?" I growl. Leo just shakes his head while Raph turns to Mikey.

"It's just static, Mikey," he says, "turn it off."

Mikey, instead, puts it to his ear, "Their talking. Can't you hear it?"

We stay silent. I just roll my eyes. This is what the nerds want.

"Pass it to me," Leo says. Mikey hands the Talkie to Leo. Leo stares at the Talkie as it makes deep clicking sounds.

"It's just noise," Raph says.

Leo nods. "Raph's right… I'm getting out now."

 _Finally!_ I quickly scramble out of the van, April and Mikey behind me. As I get out, I see Leo stand, his hand still holding the Talkie. The air fills with a loud shriek and Leo stops moving. Mikey yells, "Stop!"

It quiets down again. Leo is looking ahead so I know he's looking at Raph. "It must be picking up another Walkie Talkie."

"Yeah," I hear Raph say weakly,"Yeah, that's it."

"Their voice," Mikey insists," didn't you hear them, Donnie?"

I don't answer. I tell myself that those are not voices but what if they are? I am defying all laws of logic by thinking this right now.

"I heard them, Mikey," April says in a whisper.

Leo lifts his hand to pass the Walkie Talkie to Raph. The 'voices' get louder as Raph and Leo's hands touch. "STOP!" I yell this time.

We are silent while the Talkie continues to make noise. I hear Raph's heavy breathing as I step closer and closer to Leo. "Alright, I'm letting go now." Raph says.

That's when we started yelling all at once.

"No, Raph!"

"Don't let go!"

"You'll lose the signal!"

"Just hold on." I say walking around the hood of the van. Leo and Raph stare at me as I climb onto the hood, grab the Talkie and crawl up to the roof of the shell raiser. "It gets clearer the higher you hold it."

"See, Leo," I hear Raph mumble," April is right. We're getting obsess."

"I got him," Leo says and I hear him climb onto the car after me.

As I hold the Walkie Talkie up, Mikey ran around to the hood. Raph growls," Mikey, don't crawl on the van." The van rocks under me as Raph jumps on the hood to block Mike's path.

Leo's hands rest on my waist as my reach reaches as far as it will go. Thanks to Leo, I am not wobbly anymore. The noise gets louder so I yell," THERE! There are two of them talking…"

There is a series of clicking sounds like two beings are having a conversation. This last for twenty seconds before the signal turns to static.

I groan and sit back. Leo's breath on the back of my neck is warm. I turn around as Mikey slides down the wind shield, back into Raph and April's awaiting arms.


	7. Chapter 6: I Spy with My Blue eye

**Chapter 6**

 **Leo**

 **I spy with my blue eye…**

The screen door slams behind me as I carry the black garbage bag down the stairs. The wind chimes clang as I pass. I try to ignore the looming cornfield but am unsuccessful.

After I put the garbage in the big black can, I stare into the darkness. I feel like something is watching me…

"Leonardo," I say to myself aloud, "You're going to feel very stupid when this whole thing turns out to be make believe."

The wind blows in the stocks. I make a decision. I won't let these things to bully us anymore.

With all the confidence in the world, I march out into that field. Screw nerds, aliens or whatever is out there is out there. I'm so called "Fearless."

Time to live up to that.

I use my phone as a light as I walk through the corn stalks, going towards the crop circle we found. I almost wish Mikey was with me. That boy could guide you the Atlantis if you gave him a chance. But luckily I have a photographic memory.

When I reach the edge of the circle, I stop. The wind is howling as the stalks seem to wave at me. Time to be brave. Don't let this be a waste, Leo.

"You're wasting our time here," I call out, my voice clear," We aren't going to report this to anybody. You aren't' going to be famous. SO beat it!" I try to do my best Raphael impression. It didn't come out as means I wanted it to. I sight quietly and start to turn around.

The clicking from the Walkie Talkie passes right by my ear. I jump, my thumb skidding across my phone to the over button. My only light immediately shuts off, leaving me in complete darkness. Crickets and shuffles of cornstalks whisper around me.

"It's okay, Leo," I whisper, "It's just a-"

Another click, this time closer to my ear sends me running. My heart pounds so hard in my chest. It is the only thing I can hear.

I finally stop when I reach the path we came to only two days ago. I take deep breathes thinking, _There's no such things as aliens. Donnie said there aren't. And I trust Donnie._

I turn my phone back on and swish it around, trying to decide which way to go. I turn left and pause. A yelp escapes me when I see a leg the color of my skin move into the cornfield.

I scramble backward frantically. _This isn't real! This isn't real!_ I pump my legs as fast as I can, running from the path into the stalks. I've always been the fastest runner in my family. But I think this is the fastest I've ever ran, even with corn husks slapping me, leaving scratches all over my body.

When I reach the farmhouse, I slow to a walk so I can catch my breath before I go in.

This can't be real. The Kraang are real. Aliens the color of my ski are not. Bu this is real. They are unknown, scary ad here. At the Farmhouse.

We're all on our own.

After my breath returns to normal, I go inside. I sit at the table and watch Mikey and April splash each other as they wash dishes. I am grateful April I so nice to Mikey. Mikey sorely needs the care.

April looks over at me and frowns. Mikey does, too. He puts down the dish he's working on then goes over to me, April beside him. Seconds later Donnie and Raph arrive behind me. I turn in my seat so I can see them all. From the way they look at me, I know I am pale. It's like I've seen a ghost.

"Alright…" I say, taking a deep breath," Let's turn on the TV."


	8. Chapter 7: For the Record

**7**

 **Mikey**

 **For the record…**

"…first appeared fifty two minutes ago."

We stare in awe. A city lays on the TV, its night sky filled with white lights. But they aren't coming from the city lights below. The sky is full of lights, big round lights.

"Are those stars?" I ask.

Raph slaps me in the back of the head," No, you idiot!"

Donnie kneels in front of the TV. His finger taps the glass gently as he wants to lights. "Thirteen…fourteen. Fourteen lights. And look…they are aligned into v's."

We stare at the TV as the lights hover. The only sound is our breathing. It is like the reporter is giving us a chance to take it all in.

When he speaks, I swallow hard, "Mexico's city officials as well as U.S. officials have confirmed that these are not air crafts form either governments air force. The first sighting was made by an air Mexico 747 en route from Mozhan to New York as the unidentified crafts entered Mexico City air space. They were not detected by radar by either country."

Donnie breathes out," those crazy people were right. We have to record this. Leo, is your phone working?"

I watch as Leo takes out his pone. He turns it on, clicks something then shakes his head. "My internet isn't working. I can't download anything that is happening."

"Shell," Donnie hisses. He looks around. April goes and kneels by him. When Don spots a cupboard, he almost prints to it. He opens the wooden cupboard and grabs the first tape he sees.

As he's putting the tape in April snatches it. Don's eyes are wide for a moment before he turns to April.

"My family records," She's says simply.

Donnie stares at her for a moment, then speaks. His face is so serious that it scares me, "Listen, April, this is super important. Everything people have written about in science books, what has been taught, what _you know_ , is about the change. Our world's further is on the TV right now. We need to record this so you can show our, er, your kids this tape and say you were there… for your kids, April."

April isn't fazed," Donnie, these are my family records!"

"Leo!" Donnie whines as if Leo will make April give it up.

But Leo doesn't' take his eyes off the screen. "Find another tape."

I think that this news will still be on your phones when the internet comes back but what do I know. I don't want Raph to hit me again.

I jump as Leo and Raph move in unison to sit on the couch. It is like they are in sync, like twins. They have the same slow, dazed movements.

I watch Donnie rummage through the O'Neil stack of videos frantically. He's lucky the announcer hasn't started talking again.

Once he gets one, Don rushes back to the TV and shoves the tape into a dusty VCR that I sear barley works. "April, I'm using your…" he looks at the tape one more time," Dance recital tape." I get a glance at the tape. It says 'April's recital'. Don smashes the record button with his finger, breathing heavily.

As the announcer starts again, Donnie and April ago and sit on one side of Raph. I go and squeeze myself between Raph and Leo. My two big brothers put an arm around me at the same time. I didn't even realize I was shaking and close to tears. I have the best big bro's ever.

The announcer says," you're seeing alive feed from our NBC affiliate down in Mexico City. The time there is 7:17 p.m." I look at the clock. Here, it is 8:17p.m. Only an hour off. One hour." This image has not been adjusted or enhance in anyway. What you're seeing is real. It's unbelievable…everything they wrote in science books is about to change."

"Told you," Donnie points out. We keep staring at those lights, nervously.

Raph only looks away when Leo grabs one of my icky glasses of water and takes his second panic attack pill of the day. Raph removes his hand from my shoulder to squeeze Leo's. I think it's for his own comfort more than it is for Leo's.

Wait a sec…did anyone else catch that our Donnie said when he was talking about April's future kids? Anyone? Maybe it's just me…

 **A/N: Hey, I'd like to give a big thanks to my favorite director M. Night Shyamalan. I love his movies, especially Signs and I will do my best to make my story the best I can to honor him.**


	9. Chapter 8: What do you see

Chapter 8

Raph

What do you see…

I turn to look at the clock. It reads 4:00 a.m. Donnie, April and Mikey are asleep. Leo l0ooks like he's drifting. More and more news is pouring through the TV. It fills my head, forbidding me to sleep. So, instead, I turn to Leo.

"It's probably the end of the world, huh?" I say. Leo looks at me tiredly but says nothing. "It's true." I mutter.

Leo blinks those lulling blue eyes and whispers, "Do you really think so?"

I nod. "Yes."

"How can you believe that?"

"That wasn't the answer you wanted, "I hiss. Leo just looks at me, looking as disappointed as ever. So I turn this on him. "Can't you try to be my big brother instead of being a stiff perfect picture of perfection? At least once? For me? Give me some comfort here?"

Leo is quiet for a moment, then starts," I'm sure you know people are looking out for us, Raph. We've witnessed it time and time again when we face the Shredder. Sometimes, their small though. You think of somebody. The phone rings. And sometimes their big, like those lights here on the TV.

"Yeah, there are people who think these things are bad. And some will think it's a miracle. A sign that we're being watched out for. It's all in how you see things, Raphael."

Leo sounds like Sensei. Somehow that comforts me.

He continues, "What you need to decide is what you believe they are and what you believe in. Do you see miracles or do you believe in plain luck, who believes in chance?"

That makes me indeed think. Leo smiles at me, and keeps talking. He tells a story that I'm not a part of, "I was out on patrol once. I was doing what I always do, not expecting a thing. One my way home, I ran into the Foot. I took them down, ready to face whatever came my way. But, then, that scary voice of yours started screaming at me. I looked around for you, but you weren't there. You know what you told me, Raph. You told me to run and that I can't go straight home. I have to take the subway tunnels. I ignored you, but your voice just got louder. So, I took your advice."

I smile. Leo heard me randomly. Me. Not anyone else. I like that. Leo continues. And this part makes me grateful that I was the one Leo heard.

"Raph, I trusted you. I went to the subway tunnels. When I turned around, I saw Shredder. He killed one of his own. He had a look of blood lust in his eyes. Raph, if I hadn't listened you, if I hadn't run or taken the subway, I would have ran straight into Shredder. And who knows. I could be chopped into a topping for his dinner right now."

Leo turns back to the TV. "I'm a miracle man. I see those lights differently."

I find I'm grinning. Leo is alive because of me. But…do I really believe that it's a miracle?

"There you go," Leo whispers. There's a pause, then, "Which type are you?"

I don't answer. I _have_ no answer. So Leo asks a different question. "Do you feel comforted?"

"Yes." I reply, "so what does it matter then?"

We look at the TV for a little longer. I'm starting to feel a headache coming on. I wonder if I could use one of Leo's Tylenol. I think of Sensei and anger fills me. I turn to Leo and say," Do you know what Sensei said to me before he left us?"

Leo looks at me. I turn way, feeling my anger build at his look. "He said to 'pay attention' and then he turned away from me and said to tell you to be strong. For Leo to stay strong." Leo says nothing. "Do you know why he said that?"

In my perhipial fission, I see Leo shake his head, "No."

I whisper," He could only think of you. All he thought of was you and when he left, all he thought of was you. He never thought of us. He left us for the past." Somehow all of this leads me to the answer to Leo's question. Because Splinter left us, because Leo is his favorite, because there is no room in anybody's heart for me. "I don't believe. There's no one watching out for us, Leo. We're on our own."

Leo shakes his head again, but his disappointment doesn't affect me this time. If he wants to be disappointed in me, let him be. I don't care no more.

At least… _that's_ what _I_ believe.

As time passes, I slowly drift to sleep. The last thing I remember is the announcer saying more lights are appearing. Then Leo is saying, "Don't worry, Raph, I'll keep you safe." And last, I feel his hand run over my head and Leo's lips against my forehead.

Don't _you_ worry, Leo. I'll keep you safe. That's a promise I know I can keep.

 _I promise…_


	10. Chapter 9: The call

Chapter 9

Raph

The Call…

 _Raphael, tell your brothers to be strong._

 _I dreamed this._

 _Let's turn the lights off._

 _We've always been proud of you, Raphie._

Leo. My eyes pop open, searching for my big brother. But he's not next to me. Nobody is. I'm alone. I could have sworn I hear him though…

I sit up from my sleeping position. I look around and notice the TV is missing.

What the..?

With slow steady movements, I move to the stairs, searching for my brothers, April and the missing TV. That's when I hear a voice coming from Leo's room.

"Leo?" I ask myself, rushing up the stairs and to his room.

Leo is sitting on his bed, hands folded in his lap. The missing TV is sitting on his dresser that he pulled from the wall. Now it sits feet away from him.

Leo notices me. He doesn't smile like he normally does. His mouth is glued into a straight line.

"For the others protection," He says so simply, he makes it sound complex, "All they were doing was watching TV from five a.m. They're getting obsessed like you said. They should be out training or playing Buck Buck or something. Let the elders handle this."

I'm not gonna mention that Leo is getting obsesses just like them. Instead, I ask," What's Buck Buck?"

"I don't know. It's a game, right? Anyhow…" Leo points at the TV. He illustrates what he's seen as he talks," There's been some developments."

"What time is it?" I quickly ask.

"Eleven. They're gone. But they're not really gone. We just can't see them. This morning a bird flew into the area where those lights were last night. It stopped dead and fell straight down. They caught it on tape. They've been playing it all morning. The bird, its head was crushed. It looked like the bird flew into a wall in the sky. It's like an invisible shield, one of those optical illusions you know. Two other birds did the same thing. It was clear that they hit something."

Leo hasn't even stopped to breathe. He's been talking so fast, I can barely understand him. His eyes are big and round as he talks to me. Finally he takes a big breath and says, "Their still there… hovering… people are saying there's more of them now. They could be over us. The crop circles, there like GPS's, a navigation system. You know? Make sense…"

Leo's breath is ragged as he pants. He's shaking and it looks like his head is pounding," Leo, did you take your pills?"

He shakes his head, never taking his eyes off the screen. "Well, take 'em before you freak us all out."

I leave, not wanting to hear more from Leo. I don't like seeing him like that. I wish he would take his pills when he's supposed to. That way, I'd never have to see him like that.

As I walk past my youngers room, I see them and April crowded around the book, looking at it. They have tin foil hats wrapped around their heads, and that's what makes me stop and stare.

Mikey looks up at me and says, "So those aliens can't read our minds."

"Oh." That's when I know these hats are Mikey's idea and Donnie and April are just wearing them to make Mikey happy. I go into the room and sit down between Mikey and Donnie.

Donnie says, "They tell you everything in this book."

"I thought you didn't like it," I reply.

"Don't be a smart-aleck," Donnie growls back, "It says they're probably small, like your height, because as their brains develop-"

"Are you calling me short," I say, trying to lighten the mood like I've seen Leo do so many times before, but it doesn't work.

"Raph, are you going to be serious?" Donnie hisses.

I look at my brothers, then at April. They all look serious. I sigh and say," Sorry."

Good thing I'm not an actor. If I got asked to play Leo's role, I would be fired on the spot for not being the perfect Leonardo.

Donnie puts the book between us, showing me pictures," A scientist said that these other beings would only come here for two reasons. One, to meet humans for exploration and furthering the knowledge of the universe. Or, two, they're like the Kraang. They lost all the resources on their planet or dimension and they want to harvest our planet next."

Question: What is so good about our planet? More than one type of alien wants our planet, so what's so great!? Answer that Dr. Know-it-alls!

Donnie turns the page. A picture of a UFO and a house appear. The UFO is shooting weird beams as the house, lighting it on fire.

"Looks a little like the farm house, huh?" April whispers.

We nod as we look at the picture, leaning closer to it.

"Same windows," Donnie points out.

"Weird." Mikey murmurs.

Our eyes wander to the front yard. There is a swing. Near the swing lies four bodies, dead. They all look like over-sized animals. Almost like their…

 _Beep- beep!_

Mikey, Donnie and April scream and cling to me as a phone in the bathroom goes off. The beeping tells that the phone is April's cell. It beeps again as I peel my family off me.

"That's enough reading for today, guys. Everybody just needs to calm down and eat some candy or something."

I throw the book over the railing as I go the bathroom. I grab April's phone that rest on the sink and say," Hello?"

"April?" A voice says. Suddenly I hear a chair screech across the floor on the other line, then it sound like the line disconnects.

"Hello?" I say again," Hello?"

No answer.

"Raph," April asks, coming into the bathroom," Who was it?"

"I…I think it was Mr. Green."

April and I look at each other, then, as if we knew what the other was thinking, we start heading for the door.

April runs down the stairs as I quickly swing by Leo's room. "Leo, April and I are going out."

Leo stands, and follows me down the stairs," Why? What happened?"

"I think Mr. Green just called here. We're going to see him. We'll be back later."

I grab my jacket and yell over my shoulder as I walk out of the farm house," Oh, and Leo, take your pills!"


	11. Chapter 10: Don't Die

Chapter 10

Mikey

Don't Die…

I'm peeking into Leo's room, watching him slowly take his pills one by one. I want to talk to him but I don't want to disrupt him either. I wonder where Raph went. I would talk to him but he's gone too. There's no use in talking to Donnie. I don't think he'd understand.

I turn to leave when I hear Leo's voice. "Mikey, I know you're out there. Just come in if you want to talk to me."

That's what I love about Leo. He always knows what you need before you even do. I walk into Leo's room. He's still watching the TV but he looks like he's gonna fall asleep.

"What's up, Mikey?" he asks. I sit down next to him. I fiddle with my fingers till I know what I'm gonna say. Leo waits, like the great big brother that he is.

Finally, I take a deep breath and say," You don't think something bad will happen, do you, Leo?"

Leo pulls his eyes away from the TV that is showing a bird that fell from the sky. I wonder how many have actually fallen from the sky.

"Why you asking?" Leo asks, "You have one of those dreams again?"

I nod yes. I occasionally have bad dreams and feelings about something that is happening or a certain person. Only Leo understands what's happening with me. He always understands.

"Is it bad?" Leo asks.

I nod again.

Leo looks me in the eyes and says," If something does happen, I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

That's what I'm scared of. I wrap my arms around Leo and hug him tightly.

"Leo," I say softly," I don't want you to die."

Leo stiffens up," Who said I was going to die?"

I don't answer and refuse to let Leo go.

"Mikey, who said I was going to die?"

We sit there, watching TV for a little while. Finally, Leo gently pushes me away saying," Come one, Mike. You need to go hang with Donnie, kay."

I let him go. Leo puts his eyes back on the TV and stares as if he is in a trance. I sigh, and leave. But the bonus point being that Leo always makes me feel better. Even if it's just a few words or even a small look, Leo always knows how to make me smile.


	12. Chapter 11: Not Only Mr Green

11: Raph, April and Leo

Not Only Mr. Green…

April is driving this time. It doesn't take long to get to Mr. Green's store. If we weren't in a rush, we would have just walked.

When we get there, April and I sit there for a moment, staring at the store. "What do you think he wanted?" April asks.

I nod as I say," I don't know. Let's go see."

April and I exit the car, slamming the doors as we go. The store seems abandoned. I wonder when the last customer was even here. We look in the store windows, looking for signs of Mr. Green. Some of the product stands are knocked over. In the back is a chair, propped against the door to the back of the store. It's as if Mr. Green is keeping something trapped back there…

"Raph," April slaps my arm and points behind me, "Look."

I turn around and see Mr. Green's brown truck sitting out on the side of the road. April and I glance at each other than walk over to that truck.

Mr. Green sits there, gripping the steering wheel so tight, his knuckles are white. His glasses are clear down the tip of his nose. His eyes are wide and he's shaking.

"Mr. Green," April says, "Mr. Green, are you okay?"

He doesn't answer for a moment. Finally, he says, "It was buy the door. It was waiting to jump me the first chance it got. Your number was the first one I could think of."

"What jumped you?" I ask, stupidly.

Mr. Green just looks at April, saying," You know, you're daddy would be so proud of the women you've become. Same with your mom. She would be so proud."

I feel invisible. April looks like she's on the verge of tears. I want to comfort her but it would be like a porcupine comforting a rabbit.

April sniffs, holding back her tears, "Thank you, Mr. Green. Thank you so much."

Mr. Green puts his truck into driving gear and merely says," Don't open the back room. That's where I trapped it."

"Where are you going?" I ask.

"To a lake. I heard a theory that they don't like water. If you want my advice, you go to a lake and stay there till this is all over."

He takes off as soon as he's done saying that. He speeds off down the road, taking a cloud of dust and dirt with him.

April and I turn back to the store. April states exactly what I'm thinking. "What did he lock in there?"

* * *

Leo's p.o.v.

"…the startling footage we're about to show you was photographed by a forty year old Romero Valadares."

I startle awake, flat on my back on my bed. Stupid pills, making me sleepy. I must be missing something important. I sit up rubbing my eyes as I look at the TV.

The announcer continues, "This video was taken at his son's seventh birthday, in the city of Passo Fundo, Brazil. It was sent to the local news bureau there and satellite to us a few minutes ago. All initial opinions are this is genuine. What you are about to see may disturb you."

 _Disturb._

Uh-oh. I better see this. So I sit closer to the TV.

The image changes to a family room where children are crowded around a glass window. They are speaking in their native tongue in an excited way. One looks at the camera and points out the window. The camera moves to look outside into the backyard. Birthday equipment lays untouched on a table. Cake, presents and all. There is no one outside.

 _What the shell is going on_?

Green plants make a wall around the backyard. The camera zooms in on the branches but there is still nothing. I lean closer. What do they see?

The camera zooms out and a bunch of people start talking. The camera turns to look down a narrow hallway. A child is on the counter, pointing out another window, and shouting. All of those kids quickly run into the kitchen. The camera and a few adults follow.

The window is blocked by the kid's heads when the camera arrives.

"Move, kodomo!" I find myself yelling," Vamanos!"

The opening shines through and the camera takes it. An alley way lies ahead. It is separated by a garage and the green wall. The children are speaking around the camera. The birthday boy's face fills the screen. He speaks loudly at the camera. "Esta atras da garage! Esta atras de ai! It's behind!"

The boy gestures to the alley. The camera zooms in. I stare at the alley impatiently waiting. The camera goes out then back in. Nothing.

Then it comes out.

Children scream ass a large figure moves from behind the green wall across the alley. It's gone in less than a second.

I feel the bed fall out from under me. I scramble away from the TV, heart pounding like a freight train. But I can't go away from what I've seen. Not even my pills can stop my panic.

The man's kitchen is practically a riot. It fills my room with the noise but I don't move to make it quiet. I can't move at all.

The image pauses and rewinds. The figure zips back behind the green wall. It plays again.

As the image replays, I finally climb to my feet, and rest my hands on either side of the TV. And as the figure walks by, the image pauses, catching it in motion. We can really see what this thing is now.

I stare, stunned in place by this creature. It has tattoos, it looks like, but these images on its body look like branches. It matches that green wall perfectly.

And the scariest thing of all is that in between those branches you can see the color of its true skin. Of its true green skin. Of the things emerald green skin. The exact color of my skin.

Suddenly, my phone starts ringing. I snatch it slowly and say in the quietest voice," Hello."

* * *

April's P.O.V.

Raph enters the store first, saying he's not scared. I think he is, though. I've heard from Mikey that Leonardo can make the most realistic monsters seem dull with his mere presence. Leo makes things not so scary. So I'm starting to wonder if that's what Raph feels. So when he's trying to hide his fear, he hangs around Leo or even tries to be him. Maybe that's why Raph acts so fearless. Because he wants to be the Fearless one himself.

Our footsteps are light as we walk through the store. It's as if we don't want to disturb anything. And, perhaps, we don't. We stop when we reach the door. Raph taps my shoulder and points at the shadow at the bottom of the door. It's moving.

Raph licks his lips and then yells," Hey!"

"Raph, what are you doing?!" I hiss between my teeth. Raph ignores me, than hits the door with his fists. I dig my nails into my palm, willing myself to be brave like him.

"This is the police! State your name and I'll consider not busting in there and hurting you!"

I glare at him. Raph looks at me, glaring at me, too. He mouths, _What_?

No noise comes from the other side of the door. I grab Raph's Sai, lay down on the floor and look through the small blades reflection for anything, anything at all. But all I see is crates for food.

I sigh and sit up. I look at Raph, expecting a shrug. Instead, he takes my place on the ground and looks under the door. "I know you're in there…" he whispers, slowly drawing the blade further under the door.

Suddenly, a red clawed hand comes from underneath the door and grabs Raph's fist. I scream while Raph scrambles for his other Sai. Once he gets it, he roars and stabs the Sai through the monster/aliens wrist.

It howls in pain. It is the worst scream I have ever heard in my life. Raph screams, too, jerks his hand and Sai's away and we bolt out of there.

The monster continues to scream as we exit, startling a flock of birds who flee the scene just as we do.


	13. Chapter 12: A Vote

Chapter 12: Leo

A Vote

The three of us jump when we hear the door slam. Raph enters the front room. I hear the door lock, then April joins him. When they see us, they pause.

Donnie, Mikey and I are all wearing silver foil helmets. Raph looks to me for an explanation. I swallow hard before answering.

"Their skin…" I whisper, "It changes color. That's why we couldn't see them that night. But it was here, scouting us."

Raph and April stare at us. April eventually moves to sit on the stairs while Raph looks at us. He walks up to Donnie, eyes dim. After a moment, he says, "Donnie, does that book tell you what would happen if they want to attack us. But not the same way the Kraang want to?"

Donnie nods, "Yeah. They would invade and use ground tactics. They know that we would win if they fought us in an airborne battle because nuclear weapons would eventually be used."

"Wait," I say confused, "What book is this?"

Donnie just continues," Either these things will lose and come back hundreds to thousands of years later or they win. Just like every other thing in this universe."

The words hang in the air. I bite my knuckles, a habit I've developed when I'm nervous or stressed. Someone always has to stop me. That became clear after I unconsciously chewed my knuckles to the bone. Raph yelled at me, then puked while Donnie fixed my hand. You can still see the teeth marks.

Raph kicks the floor then says," What do you guys think about the idea that they don't like water?"

"Sounds stupid." Donnie reply's dully.

Raph nods. He turns and beckons a pale April to the couch. She comes and sits next to me. She places her head on my shoulder. She's shaking. Why the shell is she sitting next to me? Donnie would be better at comforting her than I am.

Raph takes another breath, and says," We can choose to believe that idea and leave or we can stay here, board up the farmhouse and wait this out. Either way, we'll be together. All those in favor of water raise your hand."

Nobody does.

"All those in favor of here, raise 'em."

We all raise our hands. The word 'here' is the key word for me. As Raph sits down, I say," How do you know the boards will work?"

Raph looks at me, eyes hard," They seem to have trouble with wood."

I nod, continuing to bite my knuckles. We sit there for a while, listening to the clock tick away our time.

Finally, I break the silence. "Guys, Splinter called me while Raph and April were out."

"What," Everyone mutters, "What did he say? Is he okay?"

I wave my hands. The questions evaporate. I look over my brothers. Mikey is holding onto Raph's arm. Donnie is peering over Mikey and Raph's heads. April's chin is digging into my shoulder. I look at the floor, folding and unfolding my fingers.

"Well," I start," He's okay. But all travel has stopped. He's stuck in Japan. I told him we're at the Farmhouse and he said that we should stay here. He said we'll be safe. We know how to fight so we'll have an advantage. He said to be brave and as soon as this is over, he'll be home. But be prepared for anything. He said…he said he loves us and he regrets leaving. He is so sorry. Then…then he hung up."

I'm shaking, forcing myself not the chew my knuckles. A hand touches my back but the moment I feel it, I jump to my feet, a new surge of energy in me.

"Donnie, go get some boards from the barn. I'll go get the tools from the van. This house will be boarded up by the end of the night. Then we'll be safe."

What I don't say is that Splinter complimented all of us individually. But I think that those words are meant to be said for a more important time. A time when we really need to hear them. Somehow I know that time is not very far off.


	14. Chapter 13: Miracles

**13: Donnie**

 **Miracles…**

I close the barn door behind me, then start back to the house. This is my fourth trip out here for wood. Amazingly, I'm not afraid **.**

As I pass in front of the corn field, I stop, and look at it. An enemy is out there. One that is either ready to make peace of harm us.

I look down. Rocks look back up at me. I pick one up, measuring its weight. Then, I grab my Bo staff, throw the rock in the air and make a home run into the field.

Stupid aliens! Stupid rock! Stupid Earth!

Wherever that rock lands, I hear the cornstalks snap and a bird flies out of the field.

Poor bird…it's probably gonna be dead soon.

The screen door slams behind me and a hand lands on my shoulder. I swallow and say, "Leo…you think we'll be safe?"

Leo doesn't answer anything, but then says," To be honest, Don, I don't know. But I trust Raph. We'll be okay."

I snort," At least you do." I sigh," I guess if you trust him, then I'll trust him, too."

Leo bends over and picks up the bag of wood," Come one, Don, we have work to do."

With that, he turns me away from the field and we go back into the farmhouse.

As the day dwindles into evening, I go from working with Leo and Raph on boarding the windows to watching the news with Mikey and April in Leo's room.

Out the door, banging echoes through the farmhouse, giving us a safe feeling because Leo and Raph are working to protect us.

When another city with brighter lights comes on the TV, Mikey yells, "Leo, Raph!"

The hammering stops. A few seconds later out brothers are in the doorway.

"What?" Raph asks.

I look at my brothers, then to the screen," Lights have appeared in over two hundred and fifty cities including New York. They believe there will be four hundred within the hour. They are all appearing within one mile of crop signs."

"They're a map," Leo says, "Just like I though. They're going to be within a mile of us."

"That's not all," I say swiftly," They also say these things are preparing an attack maneuver. We were wrong. They are hostile."

Raph whispers," They've shown themselves."

"It's like War of the Worlds," Mikey whispers, too.

The anchor come back on. He looks nervous. He takes a second to collect himself before starting," Hundreds of thousands have fled to synagogues, churches and temples."

The screen switches so we can see all kinds of people retreating to religious buildings. People are praying side by side.

The anchor continues," Ground forces are being assembled in countries around the globe…" the anchor sighs then says," God be with us all."

"I'm going back to the windows," Raph growls, leaving us alone. The anchor touched a nerve on him. But Leo sticks around. He walks over to us and kneels down next to me.

He whispers," You guys okay?"

Nobody answers as we watch soldiers load onto trucks, ready to fight.

Mikey says," Some guy had a sign that said it was the end of the world. Nothing bad is going to happen, is it, Leo?"

He's so stupid! Of course something bads going to happen. But, somehow, I need this comfort, too.

"Don't worry," Is all Leo says.

I look at Mikey and April's scared faces, then I look at Leo," You're sure right?" I say.

Leo just gazes at our faces. Then he looks behind him, as if looking for somebody, then back to us.

"You know about signs, right? Not the ones you write on. One's like…well…like if you drop a glass of milk by mistake and you didn't get to drink it. Then you look at the carton and see that the milk was spoiled. These signs that happen by chance or luck, but instead, make you feel that someone's watching out for you."

We think Leo's words over. Then April says," I had a nightmare a while back and I couldn't wake up. I kicked my nightstand. Something fell on me and I woke up. It was a picture of my mom. She was smiling. I felt safe…you mean like that, Leo?"

Leo nods. "Yeah. I believe in those little miracles, guys. I think there's someone watching out for us. I believe that he'll get us all through this in the end."

Leo's words leave something warm in me. Mikey is smiling as he says, "Leo, you're a miracle for just living, you know that."

Leo smiles but shakes his head. That's our humble Leo for you.

"I wish Sensei was here," I say.

Leo nods in turn, "Me, too, Donnie. Me, too."

And for a change of pace, April says," I wish you were my dad."

"What?" Leo whispers in surprise. Somehow, I'm not. I guess I agree with April. Leo would make a great father. But Leo hisses, "Don't you _ever_ say that, April. _Ever_."

Raph is scary when he's angry. But Leo is scarier when he looks angry and talks in a quiet voice. You don't mess with him then. That's the voice he gives April.

So we continue to watch TV while he and Raph work endlessly on the windows.

Mikey is right, though.

Leo is a miracle in himself.


	15. Chapter 14: It's Happening

Chapter 14: Raph

It's happening…

I take a glance at the clock. It's seven p.m. Three fourths of the house is done but only a few boards are left. I'm sitting down on the couch, Mikey and April on the floor, trying to play Go Fish in front of me. I hear Donnie and Leo come down the stairs. I turn so I can see them. Donnie stands directly behind me. Leo leans against the threshold, looking very tired.

Donnie says, "There are too many windows in the bedrooms. There is not enough boards."

Leo answers for me, "We'll have to board up the doors then."

"Where are we going to sleep?" Mikey asks.

"In here. There's enough room."

Silence.

"Where's Spike?" Mikey asks.

"In the basement," I say, "I put him there in case we need to go down there at some time."

"I'm hungry." The baby whines.

"I'll make sandwiches," Donnie volunteers.

"I want pizza."

"We should eat fast, Mike."

I interrupt, saying, "Pizza sounds great." I feel Donnie's stare burn into the back of my head as I continue," What do you want April?"

April thinks my question over," I can have _anything_?" I nod. "Then I guess…french toast and eggs."

"Sounds good," I say smiling," How about you, Leo, Donnie?"

I turn to my two brothers. We stare at each other, but I mainly look at Leo. I can see he knows what I'm doing but he doesn't say a word about it. Instead, he says, "Pizza gyoza."

Donnie replies with, "A salad."

I nod, "Good choices. I'm gonna try a cheese burger with peperoni. _Extra_ peperoni."

"The windows," Donnie points out.

"Can wait till later," I finish," Let's just go have a good meal."

That meal takes us an hour to make. Mikey can be the best cook in the world, but he loves to take his time while doing it. So we convinced him to speed it up while giving him his ingredients. If there's one thing to say about Mikey, it's that he knows how to be a perfectionist with food.

Once everything is done, we lay it out on the table. Everything looks awesome. April and Donnie sit on one side of the table, Leo and Mikey sit on the other. I sit at the head, ready to eat.

I look at my allies faces and notice that they all look solemn. "What is the problem? Eat."

"We should pray." April says.

"I'm not saying a stupid prayer," I hiss.

"But…Raph," Donnie says slowly.

"No. Prayer. We're going to eat and we're going to enjoy it, you hear me! Do you?!"

"Raphie," Mikey whimpers, but I give him a harsh look and he shuts up.

"Fine." I growl," I'll eat."

Even though I wanted to eat a hamburger, I still stab it through with a fork. I'm taking a deep breath, trying not to think about dying, not the fact we could be dead come the next morning. Trying not to think that this could be our final meal together.

"Oh, Raphie," I hear Leo say next to me. Before I can yell at him, his hand brushes my arm. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" I scream.

But Leo doesn't listen. He grips my arm as he comes and stands next to me. I pound on his plastron, trying to keep him away. "DON'T TOUCH ME! I HATE YOU! LET ME GO!"

Leo stoops next to me and hugs me,"Shh, Raphie, shh."

His voice calms my raging mind and temper. I let my tears go and hide my face in Leo's neck.

Everyone's crying now though. I feel Donnie encircle me, then Mikey and April. We all cry in this big huddle. My face in Leo's neck, Donnie and Mikey's in mine. April's is either in Leo's neck on Donnie's.

We stay there for quite a while, letting ourselves cry openly, knowing that no one will judge us this time.

Our loving atmosphere is broken by weird voices coming from Donnie's walkie talkie. We look at the end of the table where the talkie sits. Leo and I look at each other, then we both hurry up to Leo's room.

The TV is blaring one sound telling us that there is no signal.

Leo and I look each other in the eye. In unison we say, "Its happening."


	16. Chapter 15: What Splinter Says

Chapter 15: Leo and Raph

What Splinter says…

Leo's P.O.V.

The cornfield is swaying about outside, like something is running through it. I stare at that field through my bedroom window. Behind me, Raph is getting the board to close up my room.

My heart is pounding as I yell to Raph, "Raph, Raph, hurry!"

I march out of my room, slamming the door as I go. Raph and I lift a board to the door and hammer the nails in as fast as we can.

I look back behind me. April, Mikey and Don all stand shoulder to shoulder watching us.

It's time.

"Hey, Donnie, April, do you know what Splinter said to me about you guys?"

They shake their heads.

I turn back to the door while I say, "Well, Donnie, Sensei said that you need to start being yourself again, no matter what. He loved how mellow you were when you didn't have to act and think about what we thought of you. You were awesome that way."

I stop hammering so I can look at Donnie. Raph keeps going. "He said to keep swinging, Donnie. To swing away. You'll be a great Baseball player."

Donnie exhales a sob but keeps his composure. I smile and walk to them while Raph finishes hammering. I put my arms around April and Donnie. I look at April. She looks, too.

"And you, April," I chuckle, "He said to keep training. He's proud to have taught such a good pupil. You'll make the greatest Kunoichi he's ever seen."

April is crying now, too. Once Raph is done, I lead my family down the stairs to the front room. There we wait, waiting for the monsters to knock at our door.

"Should we turn off the lights?" Donnie asks, sniffing.

I shake my head as I hear a creak from the front step, "They know we're here."

It's silent after I say that. No noise, not even a breath. My heart is really pounding but my breathing is steady.

Everybody is starting to relax. I can tell because Raph is slouching again and Mikey is day dreaming.

 _BANG!_

Screams echo as something pounds on the back door. There's the sound of scratching, then its' gone again.

Mikey is clinging to my arm, squeezing with all his might. Now it's time to tell him.

I kneel in front of Mikey so that he can look me in the eye.

He quickly says," I'm scared."

"I know." I say, holding tight to his arms," But do you know what Splinter said about you?"

Mikey just looks at me, speechless for once in his life. I continue," Oh, Mikey, you should have heard him talking about you. He had the most loving voice."

There are thuds about us. We all look up. While everyone is distracted, I swipe my tears away, not ready to expose any to the open world.

"They're on the roof," Donnie whispers.

I force Mikey to look at me again. "He said to keep playing your little games, Mikey. You…you made everyone happy with those games of yours. It's what kept our home lively."

The thuds increase by number. There must be tons of them on our roof. Glass is shattered upstairs and it steals a gasp from me. Donnie goes to the stairs and stares up them, Raph not far behind.

"They're in the house," April says chewing on a nail. I hug Mikey close to me before I go on.

"He said its okay to be silly, Mike. He said he loved to watch you make everything into a game and try to be silly with everyone when we're unhappy. You made us smile in the most horrible of times. I respect you for that, buddy."

"Leo," Mikey moans, sobbing into my shoulder, "Leo…"

"The attic door!"

I look at Raph and Donnie and my eyes widen. That's the only place we forgot. The attic door.

Raph runs over to the basement door and rips the carpet out of the way. "We have to go to the basement."

"Raph, there's no way out of there." Donnie says.

I swallow as I stand, ignoring the thuds from above us. "Did I ever tell you," I start," that I scared Raph half to death? He was only seven year old."

My family looks at me, Raph especially. "What are you doing?" He hisses.

I ignore him," He was trying to be like me. Trying to do my moves. Splinter said that I was too advanced, that he'd get hurt. But he ignored Sensei and tried to do a flip right next to me."

There's a thud upstairs followed by a crack of wood. Donnie looks at Raph who is trying desperately to open the cellar door. I keep going.

"I landed first. Raph landed on top of me and he slammed into my face shell first."

The last thud shatters wood. Something hits the floor. The attic door is slowly opening.

"My head hit the ground really hard. I was knocked out cold."

"They're coming," Raph hisses. April starts moving to the now open cellar.

"Splinter told me he found Raph holding me. He couldn't stop crying…we need to go to the basement now."

Raph gestures for the others to come to the stairs. They move slowly to him.

I continue," Splinter said that Raph thought he'd killed me. But the moment I woke up, Raph just hugged me and hugged me and hugged me. It was like he forgot that I was the one who scared him to death. Just because I came back to him."

Raph ushers our family down the stairs. Then he waits for me. I walk to him. Raph mutters, "We won't be able to get out of there."

I swallow and say shakily," I'm sorry I scared you, Raph. Splinter, he said to take care of us, Raph. That he knows you can. He knows that you would have been a good leader. He said to see."

"See what?"

I shrug. "I don't know. But, Raph…he, we, we've always been proud of you, Raphie."

Raph looks at me, his eyes tear-filled. "I know, Leo. Thank you…I love you."

I nod while lightly pushing Raph down the stairs. I follow, closing the basement door behind me.

"Leo, Raph asks, "What did Splinter say about you?"

I bite my lip," He said to be brave and strong. That I'll be going through a trial, but he knows I'll get through. I'm a survivor after all."

Raph stops and looks up at me through the half-lite basement," Leo, are you telling me he thinks you're going to…"

Raph doesn't say what he thinks, but I know," Yeah. I think that's what he thought."

Raph's eyes narrow," I won't let that happen."

* * *

Raph's P.O.V.

"Guys, listen to this," Donnie says as Leo and I reach the bottom step. Donnie is by a black box which I am assuming is the radio April's parents keep down here. He twists the dial and all that comes out is static.

"So," I say.

Donnie gives me a stern look," There is no noise. No people. No connection with the outside world."

I get it now. And so does everyone else. "What is going on out there?" Leo whispers. His breathing is ragged. He's panicking.

"Leo," I say, "your breathing."

"I'm fine," Leo says, though I can see his eyes growing big in the dim light. He's not okay but he's maintaining himself for us.

There's a slam above us. Mikey yelps and takes off behind a Kraang ship. Spike growls at the door. Leo flies back up the stairs. He takes out his katana and shoves it between the handle and the wall. The door jerks s if its' trying to open.

"Donnie, I need your staff," Leo yells to us. I throw up one of my Sai's and Leo does the same thing he did with his katana with my Sai.

"Why? What my staff going to do?" Donnie asks. I think Mikey's nunchakus would work better than Donnie's Bo staff but then I remember Mikey's chuks were left upstairs. Along with-

"DONATELLO!" Leo screams, the door cracking.

"FINE, HERE!"

 _CRASH_!

I jump as Donnie's Bo staff breaks our only light bulb. I feel something brush past me as Mikey and April scream Leo's name. I stumble in the dark, trying to find the stairs. Instead, I run into the wall beside the staircase.

"Got it," Leo yells above me. There's a loud crack and then-

Screaming. A loud, non-stop, ear shattering scream fills the basement.

Are the aliens here in the basement? My Sai, where's' my other Sai?!

Suddenly something falls on me. I yelp in surprise. Something is hurting me, punching me and kicking me. Then it turns on itself. This thing…its' LEO! He's the one who's screaming! He's having a panic attack!

I've never really seen Leo have a panic attack. I've only seen the back end when he's calming down. Leo hurts himself with anything. He can't see or hear anyone properly. This is what's happening now.

I snatch Leo and his screams increase. I yelp when his had hits me in the face. His nails drag along my cheek, cutting it open.

Finally, I'm able to cover Leo's mouth and muffle his screams. I fall against the wall and sit at its base. Leo lays against me. His fingers are digging into my arms and I can feel blood start gushing. His chest heaves under my arm as he continues to scream. He's barley even breathing.

A flashlight pops on feet away. I look up at the door. I can barely see Donnie's staff, firmly holding the door shut with the Sai and Katana.

Another flashlight pops on. I can see Mikey holding it. April is holding the other. They shine them up at the door then at the foot of the stairs where Donnie is sitting. He's holding his head like he's in pain. That must have been that crash from earlier. It was Leo pushing Donnie down the stairs when Donnie must have touched him when he couldn't see.

April's flashlight lands on Leo and I. I look at Leo now that I can see him. Leo's head is bleeding and his nails are covered in blood. He is still screaming into my palm and shaking like crazy. My palm is pressed to his chest and his tears are soaking through squeezed shut eyes. One hand is still on my arm while the other is clawing into his leg, causing him to bleed.

I look over at Donnie, April and Mikey. Their faces have taken the shape of worry. I say," His medicine is upstairs. We didn't think to bring it down."

"Oh, shell," Donnie breathes.

I flinch when Leo bites me finger really hard. But I don't get angry. In fact, I'm terrified. All of Leo's issues are combining and he's hurting himself. Leo is scared and he may die due to it. I promised to keep him safe. I promised Leo.

I promised him.

So I fit Leo's head under my jaw and start whispering silently in his ear. Leo grips me tighter, bites harder, but I know, wherever he is in his dark mind, Leo hear me. But I have to step it up when Leo's hand flies up, almost hits me, and makes the gash in his head wider.

"Don't be scared, Leo. We'll…we'll work through this together. Feel my chest. Its' moving in and out. Breathe with me and breathe like me. Come on."

In the corner of my eye, I see Mikey move to sit by Donnie. Just like in my dream, Mikey says," I dreamed this."

"Stay with me, Leo." I say strongly," I know you're hurt and scared, but be strong, Weo-er-Leo. This will pass! It will pass…"

I look up at the basement door again. Leo has stopped screaming. He's whimpering now. That makes me angry. Leo should never whimper. He's too strong, too perfect for that.

I growl, not to Leo, but to the man upstairs, "Don't do this to me! Don't you dare! I hate you! I hate you!"

I go back to comforting Leo, my anger being hidden under layers of love and fear for my one big brother. "I know you're being fed fear, but you don't have to be afraid. I know you know it's going to be okay. I believe it. Just…breathe. Don't be afraid. The calm is coming. Believe me, it is. We don't have to be scared. It's going to pass. It's coming. Don't be scared. Here comes the light. Don't be scared, Leo. I now you can feel my chest. Breathe with me. Breathe with me. Together. The air is going in our lungs, it's calming us. Together. We're the same, Leo. We're the same."

Those words hang in the air. We're the same. I've never seen me and Leo that way. But we are the same. We truly are.

Leo's grip has faltered and he is limp against me.

Finally, Donnie says, "Lets' turn out the lights."

April turns hers off first. Mikey follows a minute later. So I fall asleep to Leo's shallow breathing and small thumps falling around us upstairs in the dark.


	17. Chapter 16: Donnie, Swing Away

**16**

 **Raph and Donnie**

 **Donnie, Swing Away…**

Donnie's P.O.V.

I turn the dial to the radio a little, trying to get a clearer signal. But static still pulses through.

I hear a grunt. I turn back around to see Raph's head rising up. I walk over to him. He looks up at me tiredly, then at the light bulb behind him.

"I found a pack of light bulbs." I say.

I look at the radio as an announcer starts talking again, "Parts of China and Japan are among the few remaining to verify withdraws."

"They're broadcasting," Raph whispers.

I nod, "Yeah. It started up two hours ago. Woke me and April up." I look to my older brother. My chest puffs up proudly as I say, "We won, Raph."

Raph just looks at me like he's not comprehending, so I explain it to him, "It went all night in every corner of the world. It was a ground battle, just like I said. Hardly any weapons were used. You could only see them if you're up close. Many people died. Some from combat. Most died from poisonous gas inhalation. It was used to the extreme."

Raph swallows hard, "How many died?"

I bite my lip," They think about two hundred thousand, but that's just an estimate, you know. But our world held strong."

Raph frowns almost angrily, "How do they know it's over?"

I'm starting to get mad, too," There's a mass evacuation going on as we speak. They're leaving."

Raph nods, excepting my words. I look over my family. There all still asleep and April isn't paying attention anyway. So I turn to Raph and growl," You didn't think we'd make it, did you?"

Raph refuses to look at me, "No."

Raph stands before me. I have a massive urge to hurt him, but instead, I snarl in a low voice," There's things I can take, Raph, and a few things I can't. One of those is seeing my older brother," my voice squeaks but I ignore it," Who is my hero, who is so strong, starts losing faith. I saw your eyes last night. I never want to see your eyes like that again. I'm serious."

Raph's face turns hard. He's shaken, I can tell, but he still says, "I couldn't help it. My support, my courage, had a mental breakdown last night. He was scared and if he's scared, then I know we might as well be dead."

"Leo, wanted us to be strong, Raph-"

"Wanted?"

Raph's eyes glaze over with fear. I punch his plastron. "He's not dead, you idiot! Stop being stupid. I know you are brave, Raph. Leo needs you to be. So do it."

Raph shakes his head, "Shell, this was the worst time to let me be the older brother."

"Wasn't his choice," I hiss.

A wheezing sound reaches my ear. Raph and I turn to look at our older brother. He's lying on April's jacket. My wrapping are around his head, covering his head. Leo is turning an ashy color and his breath is strained.

"He needs his medicine," I say sternly.

"Any news about New York," Raph asks.

I nod, "New York City and its outlying counties are clear, but we can't be sure."

Raph stares at Leo lying limp. He turns back to me. "He can't fight it again, Donnie. He'll end up killing himself."

"I know," I whisper, "but we need to be sure before we open that door, Raph."

Raph immediately marches over to Mikey. Mikey stirs as Raph takes the wakey talky from his hand. Raph twists the dials, moving around the room, searching for noise. When none comes up, he says," It's good enough for me."

I nod, "Me, too."

* * *

Raph's P.O.V.

Leo's arm tightens around my neck as we climb the stairs. Donnie waits for us at the top, returned from his search around the house. I can hear Mikey and April behind me.

When we reach the top, April goes to the phone, hoping for a connection. Mikey runs to Leo's room, wanting to see the TV.

"Get his medicine," I say to Donnie, "Get it ready for me. He'll probably only let me give it to him."

Donnie nods, then heads to the back of the kitchen. I carry Leo to the front room.

"Okay, buddy," I groan as I lean back to put him on the couch. Leo lets me go and doesn't move. I swing my sore arms because of the piggy back I gave Leo. Leo watches me tiredly.

I smile at him, then sit down at his side, "How you doin', man?"

Leo shrugs. His voice is hoarse as he says, "Better."

"Better. Okay." I think about what I'm about to do for a moment, then grab Leo's hand. He hisses, but I don't move my hand away," Its okay. You're okay. I'm here, bro. No one's going to hurt you."

Leo just looks at me. I swallow as he tries to keep his breathing from getting to rapid. "Love ya', Leo."

Leo looks like he wants to say something. Instead, he just nods. He winces and I'm guessing he's biting his tongue, so he can stay in reality.

"Raphie, they're dancing on TV."

I look up at Mikey. He's grinning.

"Their dancing," I say.

"Yeah, like this," Mikey moves in a strange way, then stops.

I look at Leo and fake a smile, "You wanna see?"

Leo nods. I slip my hand from Leo's grip. His hands starts unclenching and clenching. I rush up to get the TV. Mikey's dancers are gone, replaced with an announcer. I shut him off, then heave the TV to the stairs. I drop the TV the moment I see Mikey frozen stiff in the front rooms doorway. Glass breaks as I jump over the railing and fall to the floor. I enter the same moment Donnie and April do. The pills in Donnie's hand fall to the floor in his shock.

My entire body goes numb the moment I see Leo, lying limp in a dark aliens arms. Its skin is the color of Leo. My eyes wander to its hands. I can barely see its wrists, but I can see a hole in them the size of my Sai.

 _Oh, shell_.

Donnie starts forward but I stop him, "Donnie, wait."

It hisses and clicks at me, as if giving a warning. This thing knows I hurt it. I can see in its pitch black eyes that it knows how to hurt me. It sticks it dark pincher to Leo's face, above his beak. The poisonous gas.

Shell, what do I do? What do I do?! I can't lose Leo! I'll never forgive myself if I do!

That's when my eyes land on Donnie's new baseball bat.

 _"He said to keep swinging, Donnie," Leo says behind me, "To swing away. You'll be a great baseball player."_

Thank _God_ Leo is my brother!

"Donnie," I say. My brother's gaze lands on me, "Swing away. Swing away, Donnie."

In my perherpial vision, I see Donnie look at his baseball bat. He moves to it, and grips it tight, ready to swing. The alien watches Donnie. As soon as he knows that Donnie's a threat, the monster sprays its poison directly into Leo's mouth.

Donnie lunges.

The alien howls and drops Leo as Donnie slams his bat into the alien. I rush in, scooping my brother to me. April rushes to the front door while Mikey helps me pick Leo up.

Donnie misses the alien but hits one of Mikey's glasses of water. It sprays everywhere. The alien howls the minute the water touches its foot.

WATER!

I can't believe it. Water is all over the house because of Mikey's tick.

Mikey and I exchange a look. Mikey, you son-of-a-gun, I freaking love you.

Mike and I run straight out the door. I grip Leo tight to me while April and Mike crowd the broken window to watch Donnie.

I lay Leo down on my lap, my mind reeling to find a way to get the poison out of him.

Wait.

He isn't breathing.

* * *

Donnie's P.O.V.

My bat smashes another glass cup. The alien screams backing away from me.

A gleam catches my eye. Water is on the TV stand, lots of the stuff. I jump over the coffee table and land in front of the alien. I scream, then hit the thing as hard as I can. My bat snaps. The alien falls backward into the TV stand. Every cup falls over, burning the alien like acid.

I smile but feel guilty as the thing takes its last breath. But still… victory! VICTORY!

Wait…Leo!

I dodge all the debris and shattered glass cluttering the house. The sun is high in the air as I run into the yard, toward Raph. Mikey and April are behind me, yelling, "Raph, is he okay?" and "Raphie, how is he?"

I stop feet away in shock. Leo is limp in Raph's arms. Raph's hand rests on Leo's chest gently. Raph has his eyes closed as if in meditation.

"His heart stopped," he breathes, "He didn't breathe it in. The poison couldn't hurt him. The panic attack saved him. He couldn't breathe."

I jump down to feel Leo's chest but Raph shoves my hand away. "Don't touch him."

"Leo," April cries cupping her mouth in her hands.

"Raphie, "Mikey whimpers.

Raph growls, "Don't touch him. Just…one more minute."

"Raph," I sob. Leo's gone. I can't say it.

He's dead.

"Don't," I hear Raph moan, "Don't…"

"Raphie…"

I can't breathe. The world is spinning. Mikey and April's jaws drop. Raph gasps, tears falling as he looks down at Leo.

Leo doesn't open his eyes, but says, "Did…did somebody save me?"

Raph sobs and nods, "Yeah, Leo. I think somebody did."


	18. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE**

 **Splinter**

I wasn't allowed to go back to New York City till a month later. I had no way to keep in contact with my sons. I feared my eldest was dead. But I know miracles do happen.

It is a year after the incident. Leonardo has fully recovered since his panic attack. His heart's ceasing to beat caused him to lose the panic attacks. He has no need for those pill now. It was a thrill for all of us.

He still has the scars. The cut on his head and the scars on his knuckles remind us all of Leonardo's miracle. Odd thing being that Leonardo does not remember anything after Raphael left him to get the TV. Raphael calls that a miracle, too.

Donatello didn't lose his interest. He's still a creator, an inventor. But he grew. Donatello made himself a baseball room. He even made a batting machine for practice. He even watches the sport now. He gets as many baseball cars as he can get.

In his lab, in a case, is a broken baseball bat. My sons tell me Donatello saved their lives with that bat.

I have never been so proud of my son. He never backed down. He doesn't let anyone scare him now. Even Raphael stays away from him.

Michelangelo has really grown. He doesn't drift off as often. He has a closed mind, though. He doesn't like speaking about those days. He sometimes has nightmares. I urge him to tell me, but Michelangelo only talks to Leonardo, which seems right.

Michelangelo trains more. It's as if he wants to do the best he can. As if he has been inspired…

April trains more, too. She spends all her free time down here with us. I try to ignore how she and Leonardo look at each other. But I can see they have new found respect for each other. What ever happened, these two were able to become closer through their experience, and become siblings.

April goes out on patrols, saying she's experienced enough fear for a life time. I just hope she knows what she is doing.

Throughout this invasion, everyone has changed a bit, even me. I have more compassion to m sons. Fear and love will do that sometimes. Even to the hardest of hearts, these two elements will find a way to change them. Karai, my daughter, has changed her heart as well, and turned her feelings around for Leonardo. It is a remarkable scene.

But none have changed as much as Raphael.

He has grown faith in the unseen. He believes miracles happen and that something is out there looking out for us. Though, he is more protective of Leonardo. He watches Leonardo's relations like a hawk, ready to defend him.

Raphael is softer. He yells only when extremely agitated. He has a clam stance that relates to Leonardo's. But in his eyes, I can see his fear. I can see it when he watches Leonardo sleep. I can see it when Donatello swings a bat. I can see it when Michelangelo stays still.

But this trial made Raphael stronger. He loves his brothers even more now. He hangs around them as often as he can, including sleeping at the foot of Leonardo's bed. That's all Leonardo knows now. Love, love and more love. Death is a very powerful force.

These aliens were miracles. April said Leonardo said this and believed it. I'm proud of my sons being able to face this together. Raphael and Leonardo are closer. Donatello and Michelangelo are more experienced. April and I know what we have now that we've almost lost our families again. We are family.

Miracles are not random acts, or luck, or coincidence. They are very real. All we have to do is see them.


End file.
